- Lophoceros fasciatus
Includes: Congo Pied Hornbill, West African Pied Hornbill
Identification
54cm
- Mainly black
- White belly and tail tip
- Long curved black and yellow bill
- Medium-sized casque
Sexes are similar, but the female has a smaller casque
Immature birds are duller, have a smaller bill, and no casque.
Distribution
Equatorial Africa:
Western Africa: Senegambia, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Angola
Eastern Africa: Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania
Taxonomy
Formerly placed in the genus Tockus.
Subspecies semifasciatus may be split as "West African Pied Hornbill", L. semifasciatus, in which case subspecies fasciatus becomes "African Pied Hornbill" or "Congo Pied Hornbill", L. fasciatus (strict sense)
Subspecies
Taxa we include here which Clements recognises [1]:
- L. f. semifasciatus: "West African Pied Hornbill". Senegambia to just east of Niger River
- L. f. fasciatus: "Congo Pied Hornbill". Nigeria (east of Niger River) to Angola, Zaire and Uganda
Habitat
Forests and scrub.
Behaviour
Breeding
The nest is in a tree hole and 4 white eggs are laid. During incubation, the entrance is blocked leaving a small gap to enable the male to pass food through to the female and chicks. Eventually the female breaks out and rebuilds the wall. Both adults then feed the chicks.
Diet
The diet includes fruit and insects.
Vocalisation
The call is a whistling pii-pii-pii-pii-.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
- Avibase
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
